Superman Goes ‘Woke’? The Politics Behind DC’s New Man of Steel

Blimey, who’d have thought calling Superman an immigrant would cause such a kerfuffle? As someone who’s been covering superhero films since Christopher Reeve was doing his thing, I’ve seen my fair share of comic book controversies – but this one’s properly done my head in.

The Immigration Situation: What’s All the Fuss About?

Right, let’s get stuck in. James Gunn, DC’s new head honcho and director of the upcoming Superman reboot, had the audacity (apparently) to mention that Superman is, wait for it… an immigrant. I mean, he literally came from another planet, but somehow this obvious fact has got certain people’s knickers in a right twist.

Dean Cain, who played Superman in the 90s series “Lois & Clark”, has come out swinging, basically saying “yeah, he’s an immigrant, but let’s not bang on about it.” Meanwhile, Kellyanne Conway’s having a proper meltdown on Fox News about a film she hasn’t even seen. Bit rich, that.

The Truth About “Truth, Justice, and the American Way”

Here’s something that’ll blow your mind – that famous “American Way” bit wasn’t even part of Superman’s original motto. It was tacked on during World War II for the radio show, didn’t appear in the comics until 1991, and was about as essential to Superman’s character as my gran’s recipe for spotted dick is to fine dining.

David Corenswet, our new Clark Kent, caught flak for referring to it as “truth, justice, all that good stuff.” But honestly, isn’t that refreshingly honest? When I interviewed Henry Cavill back in the day about his take on Superman, he was more concerned with getting the character’s heart right than ticking patriotic boxes.

Politics and Pants-Over-Tights: A History

Superman’s always been political, whether people like it or not. Created by two Jewish immigrants, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, he was literally a refugee from a destroyed world seeking sanctuary on Earth. Sound familiar to any real-world situations?

The character’s been used to punch Nazis, tackle corrupt businessmen, and champion the little guy since 1938. Pretending he’s not political is like claiming James Bond’s just a travel agent with a gun fetish.

FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered

Is the new Superman movie actually “woke”?

Given that nobody’s actually seen it yet (including its loudest critics), that’s impossible to say. What we do know is that it acknowledges Superman’s immigrant origins – something that’s been canon for 85 years.

How does this controversy affect the film’s chances?

If history’s taught us anything, it’s that Twitter outrage rarely affects box office numbers. Remember when Captain Marvel was supposedly going to flop because of “woke” criticism? It made over a billion quid.

What’s different about James Gunn’s Superman?

Gunn’s emphasizing Superman’s role as an outsider finding his place in society – which, let’s be honest, has always been central to the character’s appeal. The film promises to balance this with proper superhero action.

The Bottom Line

Look, at the end of the day, Superman’s been an immigrant story since two immigrant lads created him in the 1930s. Getting your cape in a twist about it now seems about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Whether you’re chuffed or cheesed off about the new direction, maybe we should all wait to actually see the film before having a paddy about it? Just a thought.

Share your thoughts below – but keep it civil, yeah? We don’t need any kryptonite in the comments section!